Time and Time Again
by Light Side of the Dark
Summary: Subject 18, Eleanor Lewis, is doomed to fall for assassins. First, it was her ancestor and Altaïr, then another of her ancestors and Ezio, and then yet another ancestor and Connor. No wonder Abstergo wanted her! Not to mention she shares the exact same looks as her ancestors. What on Earth will Desmond think? Altair/OC, Ezio/OC, Connor/OC and Desmond/OC. First in a trilogy.
1. Chapter One

**Time and Time Again**

**A/N: Welcome to Time and Time Again! Essentially a re-write of another story I once wrote, apart from the changed plot. So, if anybody feels as though they've read the chapter before- there is your explanation. But, seeing as though only one chapter was written for the other story before being violently tossed into the rubbish section of my brain...This will be all new. This chapter will be the only thing 'old'. **

**This first story in the trilogy will mostly be about my OC and her journeys to the Crusades and Italy through the Animus. But we should likely see a bit of Connor and a decent amount of Desmond. **

******Disclaimer: The only things I own are any OC's that may show up. If you recognise the characters, they're probably not mine. All rights are given to whoever may deserve them.**

* * *

**Chapter One: **Every Action Has an Equal and Opposite Reaction

**'_Oh, there are so many lives.  
How we wish we could live them concurrently instead of one by one by one.  
We could select the best pieces of each, stringing them together like a strand of pearls.  
But that's not how it works.  
A human's life is a beautiful mess_.'**

**-**Elsewhere Written by Gabrielle Zevin.

The rain was thrashing against the windows with more violence than I could fathom at this moment in time, it was hitting the walls with such force I feared they could break at any given moment. Regardless, the rain seemed to distract everybody in the Abstergo building.

I was unaware of the dangers in the room next door. Occasionally I could hear shouting, but nothing more. Others had assured me that it was nothing more than an experimental room that Vidic and another blond woman worked in. Knowing how temperamental Vidic was, I did not question this.

To be honest, I was a patient young woman, naïve at times. My body seemed to display this with light blond hair which fell to my waist, it was perfectly straight, but was usually braided so that it fell over my shoulder and to my stomach. I had blue eyes which sparkled with innocence. Everything about me, from my small frame and pink lips to petite nose, seemed to glow with a child-like happiness. But there were some things that reminded me of my past, such as a big scar on my flat stomach. It ran from my left hip bone, directly to my right. And in some cases, if one ventured deep enough into my eyes, then one might just see a hint of trauma there. Some coldness, making the deep blue appear icy.

I stood with a great deal of grace, and walked over to the window. Somehow, the window seemed misty, and so I pulled my blue sleeve down my arms and rubbed out a small area for me to see out of. If I pulled myself onto my tip-toes, I could see clearly out onto the abandoned street in front of me. The rain was beautiful, it managed to catch sunlight in the droplets and sparkle as it fell.

"Hello?"

I jumped and took in a sharp breath, turning around slowly. Stood in the corner of my room was a tall man, he looked as though he held a great deal of strength within him, just by the way he stood. I pushed myself back towards the window and toward the escape route I had planned.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Eleanor," the man spoke.

"How do you know my name?" I replied frantically.

"Don't ask stupid questions, we need to go." Replied the man, and I was growing more uncomfortable as time passed.

"Where?" I snapped. "I may be a woman, and I may not be very strong, but I will not go without a fight. I promise you that."

The strange man's face fell. "What have they done to you?"

"_They _have done nothing!" I responded, my face set in an impassive mask. "They have helped me, given me a home, food. More than you could ever do! Here, I am safe. Not just a pawn in your games. My life was on the line every single day, and for what? You said it was for freedom. I'd hardly call it freedom!" The man averted his eyes, the memory of a fateful day on his mind.

I looked at the man in dismay, slightly shocked at what I had just said. "Leave." I spoke. "This is your last chance." I side-stepped to display an alarming red button, which underneath read '_press in case of an emergency'._

The man looked at me a final time, "I'm sorry they did this to you."

All that denoted his exit was the quiet slamming of the door.

I ran a hand through my neatly plaited hair, and then moved it to my shoulder as I started breathe heavily. My hand moved down to my stomach, lingering over the scar left from before, then to the symbol of the Assassins tattooed on my left hip. A sob escaped my lips as I thought of them. My brothers, my sisters… My parents. The sobs started to become more frequent, wracking my body with immense force. The tears fell rapidly, but instead of feeling warm on my cheeks, they were cold and unfamiliar.

Instinctively, my hand reached for the Assassin's pendant hanging around my neck, and with shock I realised it wasn't there. The only part of my life outside… gone. The only other reminders were caused by pain. The tattoo itself was a bitter memory.

I jumped to my feet, still choking on sobs, searching for the pendant but being blinded by tears. Had this ever happened before? Why was I not dead?

An hour had passed, and there was still no sight of the familiar silver necklace that often lulled me to sleep. Thankfully, my tears had stopped; but I was at a point of physical exhaustion. There was only one place more I could think of, and so, not listening to any warnings, I opened the doors which lead in to the 'experimental room'.

I discovered straight away that the room was empty, apart from a strange metal thing on an elevated platform. I kept my face tilted toward the floor, so that it was impossible to see my puffy red eyes. I didn't need interrogations.

I made my way around the room, looking for the necklace, but much time had elapsed and it had still not been found. Eventually, I made my way over to the last remaining place in the room; it read _Animus_ with a strange light. After a few minutes of excavating the 'Animus', I came to realise it was not here either, and I felt my stomach drop.

Irritation, emotional distress, sadness, and every other emotion I thought existed flared in my veins. In sheer anger, I landed a sharp kick to the machine, most probably administering more damage to myself. I grunted loudly and held in my pain.

Then black.


	2. Chapter Two: Long Time No See

**Chapter Two: **Long Time No See

**Hello and welcome to chapter number two! I apologise for the wait, but to make up for it: things should eventually start kicking off in this chapter! More so in the next, though. **

**I re-wrote the last chapter, only changing basic things. It's now in first person. If you feel like skimming through, you can of course, but it's not necessary. **

**Also, thank you to everybody who has read/reviewed/fav'd/followed! I really, really, really appreciate it! Words can't explain how happy I was when I woke up to these…**

**Disclaimer: The only things I own are any OC's that may show up. If you recognise the characters, they're probably not mine. All rights are given to whoever may deserve them.**

**Enjoy!**

My head.

My head was the first thing I noticed, it felt like it was not attached to my body at all and if was flying upward like a helium balloon.

People, buildings, streets and the blistering heat- they kept flickering out of control and across my vision. I felt dizzy, as though I was spinning, the whole world was flying around me. I attempted to grab onto the edge of a fountain, and after a couple of attempts I succeeded. I steadied myself and took deep breaths_. In and out, in and out._

People swarmed around me. Their faces were blurred and confusing. The world was spinning, and it would not stop. Was this some sort of apocalypse? Was I in Hell?

I didn't know quite what had led me to deserve that, I was a confused woman. Not a mass-murderer! I started to make out beautiful shapes on the fountain, before it faded away. _Tempting me with pieces of heaven_. I thought to myself. The blistering heat and nausea indicated my stay in Hell.

They were some of the only thoughts my head could allow right now. I tried to hide in shade, but I seemed to stagger backwards, or it would get further away. Further, further, further…

My eyes turned to blackness, the blackness that came when eyes were shut. I moved my arm cautiously; my head was clouded with mist and confusion. Every movement I made was weighed down with fog and bewilderment. I forced my eyes open, mentally wincing against the intense brightness that flooded my vision. Where was I? It looked like the inside of a van, and sure enough I felt my head on somebodies lap. The familiar sound of an engine confirmed my suspicions.

A distant burning began to make itself known deep within my throat, steadily growing fiercer as I crept further and further into a state of consciousness. The pain made me give out a groan, which I muffled. I felt the thirst grow even fiercer as I inhaled.

I could hear some form of commotion – muffled voices immersed in a deep and heated debate. I let my head fall to the side and watched them, waiting and calculating. Sure enough, the conversation subsided and the two people in the front seats turned to face me. I been injured? A blow to the head? It definitely felt like it.

The two looked anxious, and eyed with me with a mixture of suspicion and apprehension. I stayed quiet; but kept eye-contact, my gaze unfaltering. One of the women had somehow made her way into the back of the van and moved to the other side of me, and started to help me sit up. I turned my head stiffly, albeit painfully, and waited for my eyes to adjust once again.

I sighed slowly, my burning throat protesting as I attempted to use my vocal chords. "What happened?"

The three people paused. I didn't know what to think, and so I didn't think anything. Was I being kidnapped? This would seem plausible, but for the fact these people were so nice. Why was I so comfortable? This question was evident on their faces, too. I was pretty much being abducted.

The woman next to me seemed to make a decision, and cleared her throat. "I'm Lucy," she explained, pointing to herself. She then pointed to the man beside me, "and this is Desmond." He flashed a smile at me, but seemed distracted. Hadn't I heard his name somewhere before? Lucy snapped me out of my musings by pointing to the woman at the front. "That's Rebecca."

"Oh." I said, incapable of saying anything else. Sensing my unease, Desmond patted my arm lightly. I tried to smile at him in thanks, but all I could muster was something half-hearted and resembling a frown.

I hoped it wasn't much longer to our destination, as I had the terrible curse of travel sickness. I never actually vomited, but it brought on severe nausea and headaches. At this point in time, we were heading through fields. Vast expanses of green flooded my vision. Either we were heading to a remote location, or we were far away from our destination. The former seemed more likely.

I felt myself watching everybody in the car, not taking my eyes away from them. I could perhaps pinpoint some weaknesses to work upon later on. I had made the decision that once we were out of the car, I would either flee or fight. I wasn't incredibly strong, but I was strategic. In fact, I wasn't all too great at that, either. But I was a fast learner.

I had watched a lot of crime-based things as a teenager (pointless- but interesting) and that was what started my way of thinking. Ever since, I had been thinking of ways to protect myself from criminals and other potentially harmful situations- it became some kind of disturbing hobby. It had worried my parents, as I would spend hours in my room pondering over maps of the small town we lived in. I would create intricate maps of certain places labelled with places that could come in handy or that could aid me in any way in any dire situations. I had also joined self-defence classes, but learnt more about strategy than actual strength-based work.

I sighed. Never did I think it would actually come to this.

The car pulled on its breaks and skidded to a halt; I groaned aloud and squeezed my eyes shut. I _hated _cars! Lucy and Desmond both looked at me worriedly, but Rebecca scrambled out of the car. Light, muffled conversation reached my ears between her and somebody of an English accent. Having spent many years in England myself, I recognised the accent as a southern one. No words of the conversation reached my ears, but I recognised some shouting. A few seconds later, the door to my right opened, and Lucy left the car too. Now it was only me and Desmond.

"What's happening?" I asked him, unable to push away my curiosity. If they were going to kill me, they would have done it…right? Or they could be waiting, making sure I would not cause a scene or hiding my body somewhere remote so nobody could find me. Oh God!

"Hey, calm down," Desmond muttered, "we're not gonna hurt you." I sent him a questioning glance.

"Your face gave it away." He confirmed my suspicions. This relaxed me slightly, but I was still aware that this could be done purposely; they could be trying to make me lower my guard. That was not happening.

"You haven't answered my question," I snapped. He seemed a little shocked at my outburst. I sighed, it was somehow apologetic.

"They're deciding on something." He admitted reluctantly, glancing through the window.

"On what?" I just couldn't help myself. _'Curiosity killed the cat'._ My mother's words filtered through my brain- I ignored them. He shrugged this time, in what I assumed was a response to my question. But his face clearly showed that he knew.

Somehow, I knew it was no longer the time to ask questions. A bad habit of mine was always questioning too much, but this time something was different. It might have been the scenario I was in, trapped in a van with only one person who, might I add, virtually kidnapped me….Or _was _I trapped? Nobody had locked the door as far as I knew.

A smirk lit up my face.

I glanced in Desmond's direction; he was deep in thought, staring out of the window. I let my hand glide slowly and unfasten my seat-belt, making as little noise as possible by going so slow. I shuffled around in my seat to mask the noise of the seat belt unfastening. Desmond had not noticed a thing. Now part two of my plan was in order. I yawned loudly, using this as my chance to shuffle further away and toward the door. Desmond sent me a confused glance. I smiled reassuringly at him, doing my best to look tired. It was then, when Desmond turned away again, I decided to dart out of the door.

I was not at all prepared for what I was about to see. Desmond eventually realised what had happened and followed out after me. In his haste he slipped slightly on some mud, grabbing onto my arm at the last moment and dragging me down with him. Irritation flared in my veins. At least I was not muddy; Desmond had been used as a pillow yet again.

A hand lowered in front of my face, but I did not take it. I did not know who it was. My eyes lifted and met the face of the last person I wanted to see at this moment in time.

"Shaun Hastings!" I screeched, "I might have known!"

"See!" Lucy huffed, exasperated. "This, Rebecca, is precisely why I made him travel separately. If she'd woken up and seen him, hell would have broken loose."

"Calm down! You've made your point," Rebecca drawled, not looking bothered at all. How could she not be bothered?! I was beyond irritation now, miles beyond. I pushed myself up from Desmond, perhaps a little too forcefully. He groaned from the floor, but I ignored him.

"Well, well, well." I lashed out, walking around Shaun as if circling prey. He paled slightly. "Have I been kidnapped by assassins? Or is only Shaun aware of them?" Rebecca and Lucy's faces were blank, and so I continued, muttering a quick and sarcastic _oops._

"I thought you were _dead!_" I hissed. "Because none of you decided to help me, none of you decided to let me know you were alive. Oh no. That would have been too hard for all of you, wouldn't it? After all, you never move from behind that computer of yours. Our lives would be on the line, as you were just that: Online."

"Eleanor, that's enough." Lucy spoke, a stern expression on her face. Desmond was abnormally quiet, even to me as I'd only just met him.

"No," I shouted, before taking a deep breath and calming myself. Lucy's worried expression made me regret shouting. "No," I said, this time softly, "he should know exactly what happened to me. What I went through."

This was the first time I had looked at Shaun again. His face was impassive, but his eyes were full of regret. "I…I was taken in by Abstergo. They brainwashed me, made me believe they were right! They made me tell them all about us. I didn't want to, but it was as if I had no control over my own mind. I lived each day thinking my brothers were dead, and taking a back-seat in my own body, trying so desperately to stop my mouth saying the words I regret most: I told them about the pieces of Eden."

"I'm sorry." A manly voice whispered, almost inaudible. Did I… did I just hear that? Everybody else seemed to wear the same expression. Perhaps I really did.

I really was not ready for this. Not at all.


End file.
